Travel

As a family with thrive on adventure. We love to get outside and explore the world around us whether it be city or stream, mountain or museum, we just love to explore. One of our most memorable adventures this summer was yurting at Tumalo State Park.

A few things to note about Tumalo while it is a really nice park those falls that share the name are unfortunately not located at the park but don’t worry they are close by so you can make a morning or day out of visiting them. Other than that I thought the park was pretty great. The yurts are on the newer side and while you need to bring all of your linens and cooking supplies there is a table with 2 chairs, a futon and a bunk bed (double, single) inside the yurt as well as electricity and heat! Outside you’ll find a covered entry way with a bench, a fire ring and a picnic table. It’s a pretty great setup. One of the features of the camp that I loved was the outdoor sinks for washing your dishes – such a nice feature! Also if you are more into tenting or have a camper there really aren’t any bad sites for you!

If you head across the street from the camping area you’ll find the day use area that has trails, lots of picnic areas and nice green area with a great spot to wade in the water. Also located at the park is a playground and there are nature paths that you can access right from the camping area. Bonus you’re only 15 minutes from downtown Bend and 20 minutes from Sisters so there certainly isn’t a shortage of things to do!

Now getting a yurt or a cabin in Oregon can be tricky because they seem to the minute that reservations are open. That being said go in see when you can make your reservation and set a calendar alert so you can jump at it. That being said I need to go do ours right now for next summer!

Where are your favorites places to go on adventures? Do you prefer the city or the mountains or maybe the beach?

We started day three in bend at Backporch Coffee where I picked up this really good bottle of cold brew.

Once we were fully caffeinated we made our way out to Smith Rock State park because we all needed to finally see Monkey Face after reading about it at least a million times in Goodnight Oregon.

We got to Smith Rock State Park and it was actually quite packed with hikers, rock climbers and fellow sightseers. While I would have liked to have gone for a hike my parents were with us and they are not the hiking types. That didn’t stop us from finding a flat path to walk around although I spent most of my time holding my breath as I watched people (both big and super little) propelling themselves off the side of the rock cliffs. When I wasn’t holding my breath I was telling Neil to step away from the edge. Something I never thought I would have to say because he used to be petrified of heights and ledges. Looking back it was quiet a stressful visit! [you can find more photos here.]

After Smith Rock State Park we dropped the kids back off at the house with the grandparents and we made a break for it. We debated a few places to go and settled on Crux were we sampled a number of beers and loaded up on amazing vegan food.

We had some seriously amazing food and then headed downtown to walk around and find more coffee before heading back to our littles.

This was our third and last full day in Bend. The following day was pretty dull and basically started with breakfast, more Backporch Coffee and ended with us driving home with a few quick stops including Rowena Crest where we saw the amazing view below.

We are looking forward to our next trip to Bend and of course there is so much we didn’t do or see. What are your favorite things about Bend?

It may have taken 4 hours and 15 minutes, a stop to pick up lunch provisions, two stops to clean up vomit (we have come to learn that Alder has a bit of a weak stomach) and the same two Daniel Tiger episodes over and over again but we made it to Bend! I was hoping we might be able to stop on the way to Bend to get out and enjoy a bit of the beautiful scenic spots but with two little ones those plans changed. At least I wore my comfy prAna clothes that ended up being perfect for a hike or for staying comfy in the car.Our first stop when we got to Bend was to pick up food to stock our rental house and then straight to the rental to relax and unwind. Neil walked over and picked us up a coffee and then I started to prep dinner, tofu with tons of veggies and rice. I have to say I just love renting houses rather than staying in hotels because it means cooking meals and it’s so much easier with two little ones. We lucked out that our place here in Bend is super walkable and we were able to find a park for the kids to burn off some energy at before bed.

Day 2.

We started our morning with breakfast at the house and coffee out and then we headed off to the High Dessert Museum. We had heard amazing things about it and it was so much fun and just beautiful. We spent most of our day enjoying their outdoor exhibits and nature path. I even made a quick stop to do a little yoga stretching. Luckily walking around in prAna gear seems to be pretty standard for Bend and it makes stopping for a quick yoga sesh super easy.

After our visit to the museum we went to Spork for lunch and then spent the a few hours lounging around the house before heading out for a 4.4 mile walk around the city. We walked down to the water and over to the Old Mill District and ended our night at Next Level Burger before heading back to the house once again. I always love to do as much walking around new cities as possible because it really allows me to get to know the city and plus it’s a great workout. Now I am ending night #2 on the couch watching The Returned and snacking on Dayia smoked gouda and crackers because if I’m going to be real Next Level Burger was kind of a bust. I’m not sure what we will do for our last day in Bend but I am sure a lot more exploring will happen and coffee, lots of coffee.

As you all already know prAna is my go to when it comes to active clothes. I fell in love with them about a year ago and I just can’t get enough. I am in love with their new Spring line which features the tank above. For all you plus sized girls most of their tops and bottoms fit super well and leave you feeling confident and not like an encased sausage. I am also loving that I can buy clothes from them with confidence due to their partnership with bluesign® systems to ensure that the fabrics they use meet the highest environmental and human safety standards. If you also want to join the prAna obsession I have a 15% off promo code for prAna for you: PSSS16RWTG.

What are you favorite things to do in Bend? Do you prefer active getaways or the sit back and relax type? Is purchasing environmentally conscious clothing important to you?

This post was sponsored by Fit Approach on behalf of prAna. All opinions and enthusiasm are my own.

One of our favorite things to do is head to the Oregon Coast for a weekend getaway. Our favorite spot to visit is Astoria because of it’s just over an hours drive for us and it’s filled with good food and lots of fun. I figured with the summer coming and lots Coast trips planned I’d share a few of our favorite places to Eat, Play and Sleep in (or close to) Astoria.

Eat

Where ever we travel finding a place with good food and decent coffee is an absolute must. Luckily for such a small spot Astoria has some really great food and beverage options. Most of the time we like to start our day at Street 14 Cafe which is right in downtown Astoria and attached to the Commodore Hotel. They serve up a decent cup of Stumptown Coffee but what we really go for are the apple or pumpkin bites which are essential vegan doughnut muffins. When we aren’t buying out their entire stock of bites we often go for the bagel with hummus and veggies or whatever other vegan pastry they have that day.

For lunch or dinner you can likely find us at Buoy Brewing or Ft. George Brewing. Great beer, food and atmosphere. If you only have time to go to one though I would head to Buoy as the view and the food are superior to Ft. George. If you find yourself in Seaside, just a few miles south and are looking for a spot to eat we happily ate at New Garden Asian Cuisine. Now it’s nothing spectacular but they have tons of veggie options and it all tasted good. Lastly, if you decide to head to Long Beach, WA just across the bridge from Astoria Pickled Fish is the spot to eat but make sure you make reservations first!Play

The thing about Astoria is that while it is Costal there really isn’t a beach so if you’re looking for a beach vacation I would head south to Cannon Beach or for somewhere a bit closer to Astoria you can cross the beach and head to Long Beach or Seaview. In Astoria our favorite things to do are the Columbia River Maritime Museum which might sound a bit dull but it’s actually really interesting and has great rotating exhibits. If it’s summer time the Astoria Riverfront Trolley is an absolute must. You get a nice ride along the water where you can get off and on as you wish. The riverfront walk is also great and if you are a runner it’s a beautiful running spot on a sunny Summer morning. If you’re looking for a great view the Astoria Column is a great spot to get amazing views and if you are daring enough (I’m not) you have climb the winding stares to the top of the tower for an even better view. We also just love to walk around Astoria checking out the shops, our favorites include Maiden Astoria for beautiful locally made goods, FinnWare for everything Scandinavian and Astoria Vintage Hardware for vintage and vintage inspired items for the home.

Sleep

Now to be honest we have only literally slept in Astoria once and I wouldn’t recommend that hotel. This isn’t to say there aren’t some great spots to stay such as the Commodore, Norbald, or the Cannery Pier Hotel but the first two aren’t great for families and the last is usually a bit above our budget. If we were to head to Astoria sans children though my first choice would be the Commodore which reminds me a lot of the Ace Hotel in it’s style, vibe and it shares a lobby space with Street 14 Cafe.

So where do we sleep?

Most of the time we head across the bridge to Washington and stay at the vintage trailers at the The Sou’Wester in Seaview. It’s our absolute favorite spot to stay with it’s vintage trailers, walkability to the beach and now it even has a wonderful sauna. There is often live music on the weekends as well which makes it so much fun. It’s basically glamping and we love it. When we aren’t staying at The Sou’Wester you can find us down the road at the Adrift which has a really modern and slightly industrial feel. It houses a great restaurant, it’s walking distance to the beach and it’ has some really great affordable deals so get on their mailing list. The last spot I would recommend to stay is in Seaside at the Ashore which is the sister hotel to the Adrift. The Ashore and Adrift have similar styles but the Ashore is significantly smaller and has no restaurant but it is walkable to the beach…although that beach is Seaside so there is that. The hotel was nice but I personally prefer the location and amenities of the Adrift.

I have to say I feel pretty lucky to live so close to such beautiful spots and to be able to spend our free time enjoying them. We can’t wait to head back to the Coast in a few months for an anniversary trip.

This past weekend we packed ourselves up and headed west to the Oregon Coast. This trip was a bit last minute but we ended up finding a great rental in Arch Cape just half way between Cannon Beach and Manzanita. The beach house was located just one block from the beach so it was a perfect location for us. Of course as soon as we arrived and unpacked the groceries we had to head to the beach so we did a quick outfit change on the kids and headed down to play in the sand and sunshine.

It was a bit windy but we had a great time.

I’ll be sharing a more detailed post from our weekend over on Naturally Family but first I wanted to share Edith and Alder’s outfits.

Edith’s top (bottom’s I purchased from REI) and Alder’s outfit are both from Coolibar – aren’t they super cute? Both are not only great for splashing in the waves at the beach but also for protecting their skin from harmful UV radiation. I loved that Alder’s little romper also had snaps along the legs for easy diaper changes when necessary. The kids both seemed to be comfortable in the outfits and I loved how soft the fabric is against their skin. Alder’s growing so quickly though that it looks like we will be needing to buy him a size up very soon since we plan to spend many weekends at the coast and by our community pool.

Wear lightweight moisture wicking sun-protective clothing. T-shirts are NOT adequate protection against UV rays. Along with the UPF 50+ rating in your clothing, it¹s important to wear moisture wicking clothing so you don¹t overheat.

A wide-brim hat is a must for golfers, walkers and spectators and provides extra coverage to the neck and shoulders, areas that often get more sun exposure. Every inch of hat brim can lower your lifetime risk of skin cancer by 10%. For runners, choose lightweight hats that cover the top of the head and neck.

When possible, avoid outdoor activity between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun¹s UV radiation is most intense.

Keep sunscreen and a hat in your sports/gym bag so they are always available. Use a golf umbrella for shade when walking or waiting.

Remember to reapply your sunscreen every every two hours, or more often if sweating or swimming. Use sport sunscreen so it doesn’t run and irritate your eyes.

Wear sunglasses. In addition to protecting eyes from UV exposure, another cancer risk, the right sunglasses offer impact protection, and reduce reflection on the road, field or course.

About Coolibar

Coolibar, based in Minneapolis, the company was founded in 2001 to bring Australia¹s world-leading approaches to sun protection to the America. Coolibar is dedicated to the highest quality sun protective clothing, hats and accessories and guarantees UPF 50+ ratings for the life of their garments. Each garment is developed with sun protection as the number one priority with a full line of proprietary SUNTECT® fabrics. Coolibar has been recognized by the Skin Cancer Foundation, the American Academy of Dermatology and the Melanoma International Foundation for effective sun protection. For information about Coolibar, go towww.coolibar.com or follow them on FacebookTwitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

Disclaimer: This post contains no sponsored content. Occasionally I am sent products for review/feature but they will only be featured if I truly like them and would purchase myself in the future.

When Neil and I first moved (back for me) to Vermont we ended up living in the state capital of Montpelier. While it wasn’t our favorite place to live as newlyweds it has always been one of our favorite Vermont cities. We loved living within walking distance to the downtown shops and restaurants and the co-op. When we saw a deal for one of our favorite Montpelier spots pop up on Localvore Today, a Vermont deal site, we decided to jump at the deal and planned a day trip to Montpelier.

Our first stop in Montpelier was to our Localvore Today deal spot,Three Penny Taproom, one of our favorite spots and totally worth the drive to Montpelier. When we lived in Montpelier Three Penny was just a small taproom with bar seating for about 20 or so people and the fall before we moved it expanded and now has a dining area.

While I longingly perused the three boards of beer options I of course ended up with a non-alcoholic option- Rookie’s Rootbeer. While not one of my favorite Vermont beers Rookie’s is a Vermont made rootbeer that is just so good and I have enjoyed far to many on this trip.

To go with my rootbeer I had the falafel with greens which was good. My parents had the burger, a small order of spicy wings and salad and they really enjoyed their food as well. I look forward to returning to Three Penny when I am not pregnant so that I can actually enjoy a Vermont beer.

After lunch we wondered around Montpelier stopping into our favorite shops which included Zutano where I picked up a few hats for baby #2, Bear Pond Books and Splash Naturals. Of course we had to make a stop at Hunger Mountain Coop to browse and pick up some of our favorite bagels.

We are here for a few more days and have been busy, busy, busy! I wanted to stop by for a minute and share some of our favorite healthy travel snacks that we brought with us this trip. These are perfect for plane, train or automobile and are super tasty.

When we used to travel we would bring lots of unhealthy treats because I mean come on we were on vacation right? Well over the years we have changed our diet and lifestyle and instead of chips and candy we take fresh vegetables, fresh and dried fruits, kale chips, nuts and other healthier snacks.

On this trip we brought:

Go Raw Pumpkin Super Chips

Fig Cookies

Glee Gum

Inner Peas

Freeze Dried Strawberries

Lots of Blue Diamond Almonds

Strawberries

Mangos

Bell pepper and carrot sticks

Hummus

Bottles for water

We ate the fresh fruits, veggies and hummus on/in between our flights and have been snacking on the other items throughout our trip. We are staying with my parents and they live in the Middle of Nowhere, Vermont population 697 so we end up doing a lot of driving while we are here and healthy on the go snacks and bottles of water are essential.

I’m going to need to restock for our trip home so I might have a few new things to share later!

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